


Agelast

by Cloud_Nimbus



Category: Elder Scrolls, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Gender-neutral Reader, Jokes like The Lusty Argonian Maid, No Beta we die like Alduin, POV First Person, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-18
Updated: 2020-08-18
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:40:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 846
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25976854
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cloud_Nimbus/pseuds/Cloud_Nimbus
Summary: Reader expresses feeling with .ORHolding the handkerchief up in apology, I looked him straight on and smiled, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought your sword into this.” I felt a snigger building so I quickly masked it with a smile, hoping he wouldn’t pick up on the mirth dancing in my eyes.
Relationships: Vilkas (Elder Scrolls)/Original Character(s), Vilkas (Elder Scrolls)/Reader
Comments: 1
Kudos: 10





	Agelast

**Author's Note:**

> Agelast – a person who never laughs or one without a sense of humour
> 
> Feedback always appreciated. I hope you enjoy this, thanks for reading.

“Good morning, Vilkas. Your sword is practically gleaming, perhaps you’ll teach me how to polish it sometime?” Watching such an experienced warrior’s face twist into something akin to outrage was amusing, and I chose to focus on that instead of the way my heart plummeted to the depths of oblivion. Of course, he hadn’t noticed or perhaps at this point he was simply trying to spare my feeling.  
“I-I… by Ysmir, stop convincing Farkus to help you with pranks, greasing the hilt of my blade is not funny.” He stalked off, practically growling to himself while I was left to sigh in his wake.

Loving the dark-haired warrior was hard, especially seeing as I had grown up alongside him. My father had been a formidable companion – although he was now long past his prime – and I’d watched both twins come of age and join the ranks. I, however, wasn’t built for that kind of life; something I’d found when I was still quite young. A giant had been bothering some farmers and I’d gone along with my father to watch and gain some experienced. The battle itself was glorious by their standards but I’d lost my lunch in the snow as soon as it ended. It was difficult trying to explain that watching emotions fade out of a sentient being’s eyes felt wrong and even more challenging to say that the smell of fresh blood sickened me to my core. Vilkas had stayed by my side through it though; he’d been the one to wrap his arms around my shaking form and comfort me. He stayed awake with me long after the candles burnt out and I sat curled against him as we read under the moonlight. As cliché as it made me, I fell a little bit in love with him that day and my feelings only grew since. Unfortunately, the way I chose to convey that was akin to a child tugging at another’s pigtails.

“Vilkas, wait!” Pulling a handkerchief from my pocket I ran to him, catching him by the arm just before he could leave the mead hall. “I’m-” he spun, snarling and I couldn’t help but flinch. Naïve it may be, I truly believed that he wouldn’t hurt me. “Here.” Holding the handkerchief up in apology, I looked him straight on and smiled, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought your sword into this.” I felt a snigger building so I quickly masked it with a smile, hoping he wouldn’t pick up on the mirth dancing in my eyes.   
Without waiting for his permission, I took the sword – that was slipping from his grip – and wrapped my handkerchief around its hilt. “It’s… not your fault. The beast blood is strong today, there has been a hunt.” And that, right there, was the man I was head over heels for. A good man, who yearned for knowledge and went through books with the same passion he brought onto the battlefield. “Stop that. I can smell your heartbeat picking up.”  
“You can smell my heartbeat?”

The tops of his ears went red as I felt myself snicker. I wasn’t a lycanthrope, but I had grown up in Jorrvaskr and that meant I had a fair bit of insight on what he was talking about. He was trying to say that he could pick up on things like my hormones, sweat or even pheromones. Logic reminded me that it nothing to do with the beat of my heart so much as my body’s reaction to emotion, but the idea that he paid attention to me and was actively trying to pick up on those cues brought a small blush to my cheeks as I cleaned the mess I’d made. Usually this would be where I made another joke but everything was already awkward between us and I didn’t want that tension to keep growing.

Forcing a smile, I passed him back his sword and tried to make myself seem more confident than I felt. “I… I should get going.” The look he gave me spoke volumes of how strange he found my behaviour. I wasn’t known for slinking away from conversations but, as things stood, I didn’t want to make an even bigger idiot of myself.  
“May the gods watch over your battles.” It was a standard response amongst the companions but I felt if the air had been kicked out of my lungs. Vilkas had known me for years and being referred to so formally, by somebody I was meant to be close with, hurt.  
“And you.” I swallowed down the lump in my throat as he turned and headed out of the Mead Hall, the Amulet of Mara becoming heavier with each step he took. My smile wobbled but I didn’t let it fall until the doors were closed and only then, with him out of sight, did I unclasp the amulet and let the tears begin to form. Maybe chasing after him really was a hopeless endeavour, maybe it was time for me to count my losses and make a tactical retreat.


End file.
